Good bye Moses the Cat.

Good bye Moses the cat.

Moses came into our lives in October 2004.  We had no children.  I was in my 3rd/4th year of university and there was an ad on a bulletin board.  Free Cat!  Moses came with a litter box that we still have, was neutered and declawed (cruel, but kinda nice for us, actually).  Moses' name was Mojo...we preferred Moses...it suited him and we later joked we would get two more cats or dogs or whatever and name them Aaron and Myriam...

Mike did not really want a cat.

When I came home with Moses I told Mike we only had to keep him one week and if he still didn't want a cat I'd actively try to find him a home.  When I opened the cat carrier, Moses bolted under the couch...a few minutes later Mike was on his hands and knees trying to coax him out...and the rest, as they say, is history.

Anyway, the weeks turned into months and years, as they are apt to do and Samuel came along.  One funny thing I remember so clearly is a time when Samuel was about 4 months old (and weighed roughly the same as a large male cat). Samuel fell asleep on Mike's chest...Mike fell asleep too.  Samuel awoke and after I picked him up was quickly replaced on said chest by Moses the cat...Mike twitched and Moses leaped!  Mike leaped after him....thinking it was Samuel jumping off his chest...I'll never forget the look on Mike's face! 

The years bumbled along and we added Vincent, Theodore and Eva to our family.  Moses was always the perfect cat for children...didn't take endless beatings but never defended himself too much either, just removed himself from the situation with dignity...sometimes he bit the rougher kiddos but never broke the skin.  Moses' favourite spot to sleep was on Mike's chest...just like all the other kids in this house.

This past summer Moses got less and less attention as we all rallied around Eva...nonetheless he never held a grudge and when Mike was available, Moses was there, purring away. 

Today I went to town with the kids.  When we came home Moses was lying in his usual spot on our bed.  He did not move when I came in and his eyes were open in a weird way.  I touched him and still no response...

It is with sorrow that we bid adieu to another loved member of our family.  There are various opinions as to whether cats go to Heaven, and while I do not know the answer to this question and the bible does not make it really clear I know that I serve an awesome God and I know that God knows when even a sparrow falls and God takes care of His creation...a nice thought is that maybe Moses the cat is hiding in the bushes while Eva dances by...

*I have tried for the past hour to upload a picture of Moses, to no avail...I am giving up and going to bed.